Chapter 7 : Future son-in-law, shall we say?

The condition for the happy ending of Raising the Duke’s Daughter and the ultimate goal of the game were one and the same.

Marriage to the prince.

It was literally the classic fairy tale ending.

In my past life, I struggled a lot because I didn’t know how to achieve that ending, but now…

Now, things are different.

Because this is no longer just a game—it’s my reality.

Unlike in the game, where you had to raise stats and fulfill numerical conditions, all I had to do now was properly raise Serena into a refined lady, and she would naturally end up with the prince.

That’s why I worked to elevate my noble rank to a count and accomplished various achievements to earn my place.

‘Of course, that’s not the most important thing.’

But none of that would matter if Serena and the prince never had a chance to meet.

Even if they were forced into a marriage without love, it wouldn’t lead to happiness.

So, the most crucial thing was to help them develop their feelings for each other, guiding them toward love so their marriage could happen naturally.

And right now, standing right in front of me, was the perfect person for that.

“It’s been a while, Prince Reizen.”

Reizen Leonhart.

His red hair shone like a lion’s mane, and his eyes gleamed with the sharpness of a wild beast.

It was obvious that he would grow into a stunningly handsome man in the future.

With his naturally striking features and an age close to Serena’s, he was the perfect candidate for her future husband—the youngest prince.

“What… what brings you to the castle?”

“I was just following His Majesty’s orders to assist the investigation team.

Now, I’m simply taking a moment to admire the beautiful gardens of the royal palace.”

“I-I see…

My apologies if I disturbed you.”

“Not at all.

In fact, I’m glad to see you again, Prince.

You look well, which is a relief.”

Honestly, I had struggled a lot to find a way to make contact with the prince.

If I approached him too suddenly, it would raise suspicion.

But trying to meet him naturally wasn’t easy either.

At the very least, I needed to get close to him first so that I could serve as the bridge between him and Serena, guiding them through the proper steps.

‘But now, he’s coming to me on his own. How lucky is that?’

For some reason, every time he came to the palace, he made a point of meeting me.

Was he simply curious about the woman who raised her status from a baroness to a countess?

Or had the princess mentioned me to him?

I wasn’t entirely sure why, but regardless of the reason, the fact that we had become close enough to have conversations like this was a huge advantage for me.

“Is the princess doing well?

I haven’t seen her since the academy.”

“My sister is doing fine.

She should be practicing swordsmanship right about now.

Would you like to go see her?”

“No, I wouldn’t want to intrude on the princess’s personal time.

I’ll just look forward to the next opportunity.”

That was close.

I almost brought up the wrong topic.

If I went to see her, she would no doubt challenge me to a sparring match, and dealing with that kind of exhaustion was the last thing I wanted.

“…Actually, could I ask you for a favor?”

“Huh?

Oh, yes, of course.

If it’s a request from you, Prince.”

What’s this all of a sudden?

Bringing up a favor out of nowhere made me a little uneasy.

Not that I had the option to refuse anyway, but I really hoped it wouldn’t be anything too outrageous.

“Before that, please step back for a moment.

This is a matter between myself and the Countess.”

What could he possibly want to say that required dismissing his own guards?

Even the knight, whose duty was to remain by his side, looked visibly troubled beneath his helmet.

“But, Your Highness, I…”

“It’s fine.

The Countess isn’t someone who would do me harm.

It won’t take long, so just wait quietly.”

Even at such a young age, he was already skilled at handling subordinates.

I suppose being royalty made a difference, no matter how young he was.

In the end, the knight had no choice but to obey, stepping away as the prince cleared his throat before speaking.

“…The truth is, I’ve been studying magic lately.

But none of the royal court magicians seem to have a talent for teaching.”

“Oh…

Is that so?”

That doesn’t make sense.

Royal magicians are recognized experts, acknowledged by the Magic Tower itself.

Something about this didn’t add up, but for now, I decided to just listen.

“So, I was wondering…

Would it be alright if I came to learn from you personally?

Please, consider my request.”

“…What?”

In other words, he wanted to visit my house.

Wouldn’t it be better to invite a more skilled magician instead?

But before I could voice that thought, I quickly came to my senses and nodded.

“Of course!

When would you like to come?

I’ll clear my schedule entirely for that day.”

If the prince personally came to my house, then he would inevitably meet Serena.

I had expected them to get to know each other after they entered the academy, but this opportunity was arriving much sooner than expected.

There was no reason to refuse such a great chance, and before I knew it, I was feeling a little excited.

“I-I’ll send a word when I decide.

Sorry…

I hope I’m not being too much of a bother.”

Ah, he really knew how to speak so politely.

Despite his mature speech, he was still just a child, unable to hide the slight blush on his face.

It was adorable.

If I could, I would have patted his head like I did with Serena, but that would probably get me executed on the spot.

Yeah.

Better hold back.

I’d just go back and pat Serena’s head instead.

“Not at all.

In fact, it’s an honor for me that Your Highness would visit my home personally.”

“…I see.

That’s… a relief.”

“Hm?”

“A-ah!

It’s nothing!”

But even if he was embarrassed, wasn’t his face getting a little too red?

Oh well.

Maybe he was just shyer than he looked.

“Then, I’ll take my leave now.

I’ll look forward to Your Highness’s message.”

“…Alright.

Farewell.”

After offering a polite bow, I walked away, making sure to keep my excitement hidden as I moved down the hallway.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and for the first time, reaching the happy ending didn’t seem all that difficult.

Reyzen couldn’t take his eyes off Ershi’s retreating figure.

‘She’s as beautiful as ever.’

It had all started with simple curiosity.

A young woman who had elevated her family to a count’s rank before even reaching adulthood.

A prodigy acknowledged by even the most esteemed magicians.

Praise for her achievements was so excessive that he had grown tired of hearing it, eventually even feeling jealous of someone he had never met.

How impressive could she really be?

As a prince, he had been born into a position where people bowed to him without question. Before meeting Ershi, he had lived with a certain arrogance.

But that all changed when he met her at the royal banquet last year.

She still had a youthful innocence to her.

Her smile, untainted by deceit, and her gentle gaze, soft like rippling water.

Dressed in her finest for the special occasion, Ershi had captivated him at first sight.

‘Me? Falling for a mere countess? No, that’s impossible…!’

At first, he refused to acknowledge it out of sheer pride.

He had foolishly believed that someone fit to stand beside him had to be more beautiful, of higher nobility, someone more… worthy.

But his heart betrayed him.

No matter how much he denied it, his gaze was drawn to Ershi’s beauty, and his chest tightened every time he saw her.

And when she approached him that day, all resistance crumbled.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Reyzen.

My name is Christian von Ershi.”

From that moment on, Reyzen could no longer look down on those who bowed before him.

The gentle smile she had offered, a mere formality to establish acquaintance, had stolen his heart completely.

He had never forgotten that thrill.

Love.

A difficult emotion for a child to comprehend, yet impossible to ignore once felt.

How could he strike up a conversation with her?

What did she like?

What kind of person was she in her everyday life?

Thoughts of her filled his mind endlessly, to the point of torment.

Yet, simply imagining her, as if dreaming with his eyes open, sent his heart racing with excitement.

That passion burned so fiercely that it pushed his thoughts toward the distant future.

He knew that, to Ershi, he was just a boy.

That was reality.

But once he grew into an adult, once he stood before her as a man—he would confess these feelings and build a relationship that would lead to love.

And today was the first step toward that goal.

That’s why he had made his request, even if it might have been a bit unreasonable.

Even going so far as to use the excuse that the royal magicians were poor teachers.

Fortunately, she had agreed.

If she had refused… he probably would have cried into his pillow tonight.

‘Yes!

Now I just need to set a date…!’

“Your Highness, it’s time to go.

If you’re late for your lessons, His Majesty will be furious.”

“Ugh…

Ahem.

Yes, I know.

Let’s go.”

As much as he wanted to clench his fists and cheer, he held back.

His knight was watching, after all.

Suppressing his excitement, Reyzen turned to leave—only to glance back at the garden Ershi had admired earlier.

The vibrant, colorful flowers.

‘…Does she like flowers?’

When he visited her next time, he would bring flowers that suited her.

With that thought in mind, he smiled with anticipation.